Normal Day, Maybe Not
by CrazyJulz16
Summary: It starts as a normal day in Seaford. At least, it seems normal to Jack and Kim. But then they get kidnapped by a hoard of ninjas. Not so normal anymore. Now they face a terrifying and insane new enemy together, as well as some dangers from the past. Kick.
1. Chapter 1 Capture

Normal Day, Maybe Not

_A.N. I wrote a Kickin' It fanfic a few days ago, and I got hooked. So here I am, seized by plot bunnies once again. This fic doesn't take place in any particular episode. It begins on a normal day in Seaford. Or so it seems..._

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

I walked into the dojo and my nose was assaulted by the scent of sweat and falafel. Completely normal. Jack was punching a dummy, Eddie was eating, Milton was reading, and Jerry was texting a girl who had no interest in him. Same as always. I changed quickly, ready to get on with practice.

"All right, Wasabi Warriors! Let's start with a spar between... Jack and Kim," Rudy decided. This was normal as well, since Rudy changes up the sparring partners every day. Jack, Rudy and I strode to the mat as the other boys settled down to watch.

"This ought to be good. I wish I had some popcorn," Eddie muttered.

"Yeah, dawg. This is gonna be swag," Jerry replied. I rolled my eyes. Why Jerry couldn't talk like a normal person, I would never understand.

Jack and I faced each other and bowed. Rudy held an arm between us. "No breaking each other, now. I need you both. Now... spar!" He exclaimed as he dropped the arm and backed away.

Jack lunged in with a punch; I blocked. It jarred slightly, but I was used to it. Sparring with Jack was always like this. I kicked up and out, aiming for his stomach. He dodged and grabbed for my leg to flip me. I pulled away from his reach and used the momentum to swing into a punch. It surprised me when Jack leaned away just in time. Because of his dodge, the force of my swing put me slightly off balance. There was a second of weakness, and Jack seized it, as I knew he would. He gripped my left arm and flipped me carefully. I knew he did it gently on purpose because I was barely winded when I struck the mat.

Jack offered a hand to help me up. I took it. "Sorry Kim," he murmured as he pulled me to my feet.

"It's all good, Jack. Nice takedown," I replied. He smiled. The grin made my insides do somersaults, but I would never tell him that. Average day.

"Okay, why don't you two take five," Rudy suggested. "Jerry, Milton, you're up." The boys in question groaned as they walked sluggishly to the mat. I laughed quietly at their reluctance. Also normal.

"Hey, why don't we take a breather outside?" Jack suggested. I shrugged and followed him out the glass doors. It was warm, but not hot, and it was slightly quieter than usual. "Huh, where is everybody?" Jack wondered. I was thinking the same thing. The mall was always crowded this time of day, but today it was pretty much deserted. Not normal.

Jack and I walked around the building to see if there were people on the other side, not thinking that this took us out of view of the dojo. There was no one over there, either.

"Okay, this is weird," I pointed out. Jack nodded. He opened his mouth to say something, but I put up a finger to stop him as I listened intently. A thump followed by muttered curses caught my attention. I could tell from his expression that Jack had heard it as well. We stayed silent and looked for the source. There were no more sounds, though, so we couldn't figure out where the noises had come from.

Suddenly, two dozen ninjas dropped from the roof of the dojo and its neighboring buildings. Totally not normal. "Jack?" I asked nervously.

"Right behind you, Kim. We got this." I felt his warm back press into mine. The first ninja ran into a flying kick at me. I slid sideways and helped him over my shoulder. He landed with a loud thump and didn't get up. My next assailant attacked more cautiously. I caught his fist and twisted, sending him to his knees. Then I kicked sideways, catching his head and knocking him down. He groaned and stumbled out of reach.

Three men lunged at me at once, and Jack grabbed my waist. He lifted me into a spin, and I kicked the ninjas circling us. Then Jack grasped my hands and swung me over his head so that I could plant both feet in the chest of the ninja behind us. The attacker went down, my feet still on him, and I used him as a springboard to bring Jack over my head. He landed easily on his feet, and he released my hands. I stepped off of the ninja under me.

I high fived Jack with a grin, knowing that we always fought well together for some reason. Then his smile disappeared. He lunged for me and knocked me off my feet. A shadow flew over our heads. "Thanks," I gasped. He stood to face the ninja that had almost gotten me. I got to my feet a bit more slowly, and as I did, I noticed that some time during the fight, my belt had come off. It was lying on the ground, but I didn't have time to pick it up.

"Why did there have to be ninjas?" Jack grumbled. Five more men ran to join the fight, and I sighed. Back in to the fray. I took down three more men, but I was getting tired. Then I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head. I grew dizzy. "Kim!" My friend cried. His worried eyes stayed focused on me for a second too long, and his opponent swept his feet out from under him. That was the last thing I saw before blackness took me, and I collapsed.

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

I woke up slowly, and it took me a few moments to remember what had happened. The ache in my head and my stomach helped me recall. 'Ninjas. Lots of ninjas, and Kim. Wait, Kim!' I thought.

"Kim!" I called. As I sat up, I saw that I wasn't lying on the sidewalk where I had been knocked out. I was lying on an uncomfortable steel bench in some kind of cell. There were no windows, no lights, and it was almost completely dark. The door was the same metal as the walls, and it looked really solid. This place was fortified, and I would be hard put to escape. The only other thing in the room was another bench on the opposite wall. There was a shadowy shape on it. As I stood to examine it, the shape moved. I saw blonde hair.

"Kim! Kim, are you all right?" I demanded as I rushed to her side. She stirred slightly and groaned. Her hair had fallen out of its braid at some point during the fight, leaving it in loose waves. When she rolled over, I saw the large, slightly bloody lump on her head where the ninja had hit her. It made me angry. I wanted to hit something; I wanted to scream; I wanted to find the ninja that did that to her and beat him senseless. I was so lost in my fury that I didn't notice the girl I was fuming for sitting up.

"Jack? What's wrong?" She asked, her voice full of worry. Her question tore me out of my violence-rich thoughts.

"I'm fine, Kim. A bit sore, but nothing I can't handle. Are _you _okay? That bump looks like it hurts," I retorted in the same worried tone. Her hand went to the back of her skull, and as her fingers brushed the injury, she winced. There was a small amount of blood on her hand when she placed it in her lap.

"I'll be fine," she answered resolutely. "Where are we, anyway?" 'That's Kim for you,' I said silently to myself. 'Always foolishly brave and tough, never admitting that she needs help, and not very good at changing the subject.'

"We're in a cell of some kind. The ninjas must have kidnapped us. Other than that, I've got nothing," I said to humor her.

"Great. Taken by ninjas, no idea where I am, and locked in a cell with _you_. And they just left us here! What are we supposed to do?" Kim complained.

"I'm going to ignore the insult about being locked in here with me and focus on the last question. I suggest we make an escape plan," I replied.

"Sorry. It's nothing against you," she apologized. "I was wondering why they left us together instead of splitting us up. Especially after they saw how well we fight as a team." She looked really sorry, so I put a hand on her shoulder to tell her I forgave her. 'I can't help but agree. It _is_ odd. But I'm relieved none the less. I would be far too worried about Kim if she wasn't with me.' I pondered.

"I don't know. But I'm happy they did," I pointed out. She looked at me funny, so I added, "Now we can escape together. You're an awesome warrior, and I'm glad you've got my back if we have to fight our way out."

She blushed, making me remember my idea that she had a crush on me when we first met. "Thanks Jack. So how _do_ we escape?"

"Not a clue," I began. Then the metal door creaked open, and dark figures filled the space. Kim got to her feet, and we readied ourselves for a fight.

_A.N. I'm gonna leave it there for now. I'll probably update soon, because I already know what's going to happen next. So, what did you think? There's a little button down there that says "Review." Please, please _**PLEASE**_ push it and type a short answer to that question. Did you like it, love it, hate or, or what? I really need feedback on this story! Eagerly awaiting your response, CrazyJulz16._


	2. Chapter 2 Meet the Enemy

_A.N. Well, I couldn't wait to write the next chapter, so here we go. Enjoy. Here's the last sentence from the previous chapter to get you started. _

_"Not a clue," I began. Then the metal door creaked open, and dark figures filled the space. Kim got to her feet, and we readied ourselves for a fight._

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

My head was pounding as I lurched to my feet and assumed a defensive posture. Jack stood next to me, solid as always. 'I can't help but be glad he's there and not just because I like him. He's strong, tough, and protective: about the best person to be kidnapped with ever. I know he will always have my back, and it makes me less afraid of whatever comes our way,' I thought.

Several ninjas walked through the door and reached for us. Jack kicked out at one as I punched another. Our resistance didn't last long, though, because we'd been in a fight already today, because we were in a small space, and most of all because there were just too many of them. Soon I was held by two black-clothed men, and Jack was similarly detained. I fought against the restraining arms of the warriors to no avail.

A man stepped into the dim light of our cell. He was tall, thin, brown-haired, blue-eyed, muscled, and a total stranger. "Now, now, is that any way to treat your hosts? Tut tut. I suppose I'll have to teach you some manners," the man reprimanded. Faster than I had thought possible, he was standing directly in front of us. His hand connected harshly with my cheek in a stinging slap, sending my head to the side.

Jack leapt at the man, but the ninjas held him back. "Don't touch her!" my friend snarled.

"Now now, young man. You're being rude," the man said primly. "I would hate to have to hurt your lovely friend here again to punish you, but you must learn."

"Leave her alone!" Jack yelled furiously. The man sighed and backhanded me viciously, though his face remained completely calm, if a bit disappointed. A little yelp slipped out despite my attempts to smother it.

"Have you learned your lesson yet, Jackson? If not, I'm sure Kimberly is more than willing to continue helping me teach you." I gasped at the use of our names. "Yes, dear, I know who you are," the man added in response to my surprise. He grasped my chin hard and made me look at Jack. My friend's brown eyes were full of pain as he gazed at my face, which I was sure was bruising already.

"I'm sorry, okay? Just don't hurt Kim," Jack practically begged. His head fell in defeat, and I was shocked at how broken he sounded.

"Much better. I see that you're a fast learner." He released my chin. "You may have a seat." The ninjas, as if on cue, forced us both to our knees in a mockery of a bow.

"I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Jonathan Weaver. I believe you know my nephew, Ricky. You were quite rude to him, and I have decided to teach you manners. This was the first of many lessons, Jackson. Kimberly, your teaching hasn't even begun. Enjoy your accommodations," Jonathan snapped coldly as he swept out of the room. The ninjas threw Jack and I against the back wall, eliciting a small groan from me, before slamming out of the room.

"Kim, I'm so sorry! He hit you, and it was my fault, and I wouldn't shut up, and are you okay because-" Jack apologized without taking a breath.

"Jack!" I interjected. "It's fine, I'm okay, and it wasn't your fault. That guy is completely crazy, you couldn't have stopped him, and he was just using you as an excuse to hit me," I reassured the boy. I got to my feet, ignoring the twinge in my back, and settled on the bench. It was still dark in the cell, and I couldn't read Jack's expression as he gripped my chin to tilt my head upward. My heart sped up at his touch, but I ignored it.

"Your cheek is really swollen, Kim. He must have hit you hard. Is that from the backhand?" He sounded really concerned.

"Probably, yeah. But it's fine, and so am I. So... Ricky Weaver's uncle, huh? I knew that would come back to bite us in the butt," I awkwardly changed the subject as I pulled my face out of his hold. He sat on the bench about a foot away from me.

Jack laughed at my sad attempt but nodded nonetheless. "Yeah, I guess so," he replied. Then he became serious once again. "Kim, that guy is off his rocker. We need to get out of here."

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

I watched in horror as the man slapped Kim in the face. My anger reared up and I snarled at him. He remained completely calm as he backhanded the blonde. She cried out in pain, and I died a little inside at the knowledge that she was hurt because of me. I apologized to stop the man from hurting the girl any more. The ninjas shoved me to the floor, but I didn't really bother resisting. I barely listened as our captor spoke, until he addressed me. His words frightened me, honestly. I didn't even want to _think_ about what he was going to do to Kim.

I hardly felt it as I smashed into the wall, but I knew from Kim's groan that she did feel it. That thought brought me to her side, apologizing profusely. As she waved off my apology and sat down on the bench, I couldn't help but think, 'Yep. Same old Kim. Never letting me take the blame for things that are totally my fault, and shrugging off any damage to her person.' Remembering that damage, I grabbed her chin. I easily shoved away the urge to kiss her as I saw her wickedly bruised and swollen face.

"Your cheek is really swollen, Kim. He must have hit you hard. Is that from the backhand?" I asked worriedly. That bruise looked like it _hurt_.

"Probably, yeah. But it's fine, and so am I. So... Ricky Weaver's uncle, huh? I knew that would come back to bite us in the butt," Kim pointed out ruefully. 'She still has no tact for changing the subject. But if she did, she wouldn't be Kim,' I joked mentally. She yanked away, and I plopped down next to her. I chuckled darkly and muttered something nonsensical before I looked at my blonde friend again.

"Kim, that guy is off his rocker. We need to get out of here." I pointed out. I was already checking the walls for weaknesses as I spoke. There were none that I could see.

"Yeah, no duh. And how exactly do you plan on making your dashing escape, Jack? We're in a titanium box with a steel door, no windows, and no light. The only thing we can do is wait for Jonathan to come back and hope he brings less ninjas this time," Kim retorted dryly.

"And what if he doesn't? Kim, I'm not going to stand here and watch while he beats you up. And I'm certainly not gonna lay down and let him kick my butt, either. We need to at least have a plan." Kim nodded at this, and slid closer to me on the bench. My heart skipped a beat, but I ignored the feelings bubbling inside me. 'Now's not the time,' I thought angrily.

"So, whadaya got, Jack?" She inquired. I once again defeated the urge to kiss her as she leaned towards me inquisitively.

"Well, maybe if we-" I was interrupted as the door opened. Ninjas poured in, but this time they just stood at attention instead of grabbing us. I was glad; I wasn't feeling up to another fight.

Jonathan strode majestically into the room and made a gesture. A ninja seized Kim, wrenching her arms behind her back. "Time for your first lesson, Kimberly," Jonathan whispered menacingly. "As for you, Jackson," he turned to face me, "get him," he commanded the ninjas. As he left behind the man dragging a struggling Kim, I was swarmed, unable to fight back against the tide of bodies. Fists and feet smashed into my body, knocking me to the floor, but I was numb to it all. 'Kim's in danger. He's going to hurt her, and I can't save her. Kim's in danger.' I repeated to myself despairingly.

The ninjas left after about a minute, but I hardly noticed. I didn't move from my place on the floor as the door clanged shut. No sound left my lips, and the silence was deafening. Then it started. "Let go of me! Get your hands off me! What are you doing? Stop it! No, wait- please! Don't!" Kim screeched. Then a horrific scream of pain split the air. I covered my ears, trying to block out the sound, but it went on and on.

When Kim finally stopped, the sound of maniac laughter echoed through the cell. It was replaced by sobbing after a few minutes. Then that slowed as well. Eventually, it grew quiet again. My harsh breathing filled the air as I tried to get a handle on my emotions. I sat up, leaned against the wall, pulled my knees up to my chest, and wrapped my arms around them. I mastered the instinct to rock back and forth, but it was a close call. I had to stay strong, for Kim's sake.

The door squealed open, and a ninja dragged Kim, no longer struggling, back into the cell. He dropped her to the floor like a rag doll and left without a word. She laid there on her back without moving as I raced to her side. A cursory glance told me that she had no shirt and no bra on, and terrible thoughts filled my head as I averted my gaze to the floor. 'Jonathan's crazy, but he couldn't- could he? Please, dear God no. Tell me he didn't do... that. Please.' The ideas tumbled unpleasantly through my head.

Kim slowly began to sit up, and I looked firmly at her face. She blushed, crossed her arms, and opened her mouth, but I just pulled off my white gi shirt and handed it to her without a word. She nodded her thanks, but didn't put it on. My eyes stayed fixed on her face, but it was getting harder to focus.

"Jack. I need you to look at my back. It's bad, but I need to know how bad. Please," Kim pleaded. There were tear tracks on her face, and her eyes were over full now. I nodded mutely, and she turned around. There, on her lower back, one word was burned deeply into her skin: **_'MINE.'_**

I gasped at the horror before me. 'Jonathan branded her. Branded her like a cow. He truly is insane. I think I'm going to be sick.'

Kim was sniffling again as she put on my shirt. She winced when the fabric came into contact with her burn. The blonde turned to face me again. "What does it say, Jack? I need to know. I couldn't see the brand, he just shoved me on a stool, ripped off my shirt and bra, pulled the brand out of the fireplace, and slammed it into my back. It hurt so bad, Jack! I think I screamed, but I'm not even sure, it was just all white hot pain, and WHAT DOES IT SAY?!" She shouted. She was going hysterical on me. Kim Crawford, the strongest girl I know, was falling to pieces before my eyes. And I hated it.

"It... it says... mine," I answered haltingly. At this, Kim just lost it. She started sobbing, threw herself in my arms, and lost it. "I'm so sorry, Kimmy," I murmured in her ear. I wrapped my arms _very_ carefully around her; making sure that I wouldn't touch her burn. She buried herself further into my bare chest in response. I sighed, pulled her into my lap, and leaned against the wall again.

Kim shook in my embrace with the force of her tears. I held her tighter, comforting her as best I could and waiting for her to calm down. Slowly her sobs halted, and she relaxed in my arms. "Kim?" I asked quietly. She didn't answer. "Kimmy?" I realized that she was asleep, all cried out. I lifted her bridal style and set her on the bench. I kissed her forehead gently, and whispered, "Sweet dreams, Kimmy."

OooOooOooOooO

_A.N. I know that was a little dark, so I tried to add a little fluff to the end. So, what did you think? Do you like where I went with it? Tell me, PLEASE! And don't worry, I'll update again soon._


	3. Chapter 3 Fight the Pain

_A.N. So, another update already. This story really has me going. I hope you guys like this._

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

I awoke to a fiery pain in my back. It took me all of three seconds to remember what had happened. 'I'm such an idiot,' I thought. A moan of pain left my lips as I struggled to sit up.

"No, no, no Kimmy. Don't try to get up. Your back is pretty messed up, you could hurt yourself," Jack ordered gently as he restrained me carefully. I blushed at his touch on my wrists and waist.

"Don't call me Kimmy," I growled, but my heart wasn't in it. 'Besides, I sorta like it when Jack does it. Wait, what am I thinking? Now is not the time for this!'

Jack laughed weakly. "C'mon, you know you love it... Kimmy," he teased as he released me.

"Anderson, I'll get you for that!" I snarled. I made a fist and shook it in his face, but I was too sore to hit him. He mimed fear, and I couldn't help but chuckle at his antics. "Thanks, Jack. I needed that," I added with a grin. "You always know how to make me laugh when I need it. But call me Kimmy again and you're dead."

"Fine, Kimberly," Jack retorted. He was still joking, but my full name brought up unpleasant memories. _'Do you like that, Kimberly? Have you learned your lesson yet?' _ His poisonous voice echoed in my mind. I shivered in fear and curled into the fetal position.

"Oh my gosh, Kim, I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking!" Jack stuttered. He engulfed me in his arms and pulled me closer to his bare chest. "I'm such a moron, Kim. I'm sorry," the brunette whispered in my ear. I blushed at the intimacy of our position. 'He's just comforting you, Kim. Don't get excited,' my brain chastised. I wrapped my arms around his neck, not caring about the reason for the hug. I needed comfort right now, and Jack was more than willing to oblige.

"It's all right, Kimmy, I've got you. I'm here." He didn't even seem to notice that he had switched back to the nickname. "I won't let him hurt you again. It's going to be okay," he murmured. I pulled away far enough to look in his eyes. I was going to make a comment about us not being safe, but the words vanished from my mind as his chocolate eyes searched my hazel ones.

Just then, my stomach rumbled, ruining the moment. Jack laughed lightly and sat me up against the wall; being mindful of my back as he did so.

"What? I haven't eaten since lunch at school, and you know that I only had an apple! Who knows how long ago that was? Are they planning on starving us as another 'lesson?'" I asked bitterly. Jack shrugged as his stomach grumbled as well. "See?! It's not just me!" I accused.

A metallic groan had Jack whipping around to look at the door. No one entered, but a small metal tray with a bowl on it slid across the floor. The door slammed shut once more as Jack picked up the tray. "Gross. I wouldn't recommend you eating this, Kim. I'm pretty sure there're bugs in it," Jack grimaced. He tilted the bowl so I could see. It was filled with a thin, weevil-laced, half-rotten gruel.

I gagged. "Nope. There's no way I'm eating that slop. And you shouldn't either; it could make you really sick," I pointed out.

Jack made a face. "You don't have to worry about me, I'm not coming anywhere near the stuff. I just wish we had a way to get rid of it," he complained.

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

I stared deeply into Kim's beautiful eyes. I looked for the pain, worry, and sadness that I knew lurked under the surface. Most people would look into her eyes and say that she was fine, but I knew Kim better than that. She was terrified. I got lost in those lovely hazel orbs, entranced until Kim's belly complained about its emptiness. I couldn't help but laugh.

It totally destroyed the moment, but now was not the time for romantics anyway. Kim got defensive, which just made me laugh harder, though I had to admit, I was just as hungry as Kim. My stomach proved that by growling loudly along with Kim's.

Then the door opened, and I swung around. I was ready to defend Kim, but all that happened was the arrival of food. If you could call it that, which I couldn't. Obviously they were trying to starve us, or they thought that we were extremely desperate.

After my warning, Kim was no more willing to eat it then I was, so I just put the bowl in the corner of the room farthest from our bench. Several hours passed in relative silence. Apparently we were getting a break in between torture sessions. Kim and I talked a little, but mostly we kept to ourselves, lost in our musings.

'I'm worried about Kim,' I pondered. 'And for fairly good reasons, considering what she's been through. I just hope my next lesson is taught on _my_ body, not Kim's. I don't know how much more of this she can take. I've never seen her so broken before, and it scares me. Sad, huh? The great Jack Anderson, scared of a girl. Then again, Kim's no ordinary girl.'

My thoughts were interrupted by the door opening once again. I stood protectively in front of Kim as the ninjas filed into the room. This routine was getting old.

"Ah, hello Jackson. I believe it's time for another lesson with Kimberly, don't you?" Jonathan asked innocently.

"Leave Kim alone! You've hurt her enough! If you're going to hurt anyone this time, it should be me!" I shouted.

A ninja grabbed me by the neck and rammed me into a wall. He held me there as he snarled, "Now you listen, punk. You do what Master Jonathan tells you like a good little boy, and you _never_ question his orders." The man would have continued, but Jonathan held up a hand. My captor released me without a word and returned to his place in line.

"Jackson, Jackson, Jackson. I thought I taught you manners last time. Well, I suppose it's time for another lesson." The nut job sounded almost... disappointed in me. He gestured, and both Kim and I were seized. Kim cried out, probably because the quick motion had pulled at her burns. I winced mentally. 'Also my fault. Great job, genius.'

Jonathan walked over to me, and without another word, he broke my nose swiftly with his left hand. His right hand flashed, and I barely registered that he had a blade before it swept across my face, cutting both my cheeks and the area just above my lip.

"Jack!" Kim yelped. Jonathan turned his fist and backhanded me with the hilt of the knife. "No! Leave him alone!" My blonde cellmate exclaimed. I was surprised at the fire in her voice, but mostly I was horrified that she had drawn attention to herself again. 'This is what I was trying to avoid, Kimmy,' I groaned mentally as Jonathan turned to face Kim.

"It seems that I was right; you are in need of another lesson," the man sneered. I began struggling against my captors, trying to get to Kim and stop the inevitable. "Give me my new tool. I want to make sure this lesson sticks with young Kimberly here," Jonathan commanded coolly. The ninjas holding Kim seemed to know what this meant, as they turned her around and lifted my shirt off of her back. 'Oh no. What are they going to do to her now?'

A ninja handed Jonathan a whip, and I struggled harder. 'No! This can't be happening!' I saw it in slow motion as Jonathan drew his arm back and cracked the whip against Kim's tortured flesh. She screamed.

"I think that's enough for now. Just one more thing." He turned to me and snapped the whip across my face. I ignored the pain as the ninjas let me go. I lunged forward and caught Kim before she could hit the floor. When I looked up, the others were gone, and I was left alone with a broken Kim once again.

_A.N. So? How was it? I know it's still kinda dark, but after this I think it'll get less torture-y. Oh, and do you think I should check in with the others at the dojo? I mean, they have to have noticed that our dashing duo is gone by now, right? So should I have a chapter about them as well? Anyway, REVIEW!_


	4. Chapter 4 Plans Change

_A.N. Well, here we are again. This chapter is much less dark; it's more fluffy. The first bit is a little rough, but after that I tried to lighten it up. Thanks to my incredible sister Angie for spit balling with me regarding this chapter and the next one. She rocks. Thanks, Ang. And don't worry, the romance will start soon. But Jack and Kim are both stubborn; they have to be pushed to the edge first. And they will, soon. So enjoy the next installment of _Normal Day, Maybe Not. _Oh, and I don't own _Kickin' It_, since I forgot to say that earlier._

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

I couldn't stand watching Jack be tortured. It was just as bad as being branded. His nose was crooked and bleeding freely now; and the cut looked nasty. I couldn't keep from crying out again as the knife hilt connected with Jack's head. I would rather have taken every blow myself, and I told Jack that with my eyes as Jonathan came over to me.

When he asked for his 'new tool,' I was scared. It terrified me even more when the warriors lifted the back of my shirt. I could hear Jack struggling, and I prepared myself for serious pain. But nothing could have readied me for the agony that followed the cracking of the whip. I was being branded all over again, and sliced with a knife at the same time. Pure, white hot, searing pain was all I could feel for a second as a scream tore its way out of my throat.

I heard Jonathan say something, but I couldn't decipher it through the roaring in my ears. The whip cracked again, but it didn't touch me. 'What's going on? Is he trying to scare me? Or worse, is he whipping Jack?' Then, coherent thought became impossible once more in the face of the pain. The ninjas released me, but I didn't have the strength to support myself. I dropped.

I was barely aware that I didn't hit the floor, and after looking up into worried, pained, and horrified brown eyes, the pain receded into sweet, soothing, relaxing blackness.

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

My knees folded without my command, and I landed rather uncomfortably on the floor with Kim cradled in my lap. She looked up at me for a second with unseeing eyes, and then her head rolled to the side and she went limp. After checking her pulse and reassuring myself that she was alive, I thought of something. 'At least she's not suffering. While she's unconscious, she's not in pain. That's a good thing, right?'

"Wow, Anderson. Pull yourself together. You have to be strong for Kim. She needs you, and you're darn well gonna be there for her," I told myself. Belatedly, I realized that I was speaking out loud. 'Good thing no one's here to witness my craziness,' I thought thankfully.

'So what happens now? I can't let them hurt Kim again, obviously, but she won't let me take it for her. And knowing Kim, she isn't gonna change her mind. Then what do I do? This torture is going to kill her soon!' A yawn interrupted my worried musings. 'Well, at least she's asleep now. I'm probably gonna join her soon. I've never been this tired in my life!' With that thought, I laid Kim on the bench carefully, and settled down next to it on the floor. I snapped my nose back into place so it wouldn't heal crooked, bit back the cry of pain so I wouldn't wake Kim up, closed my eyes, and relaxed for the first time since that fateful sparring match.

What could have been minutes or days later, I awoke to talking and crying. "Kim?" I asked tiredly. "Kim, is that you?" She didn't reply, and as I looked up at her, I realized that she was still asleep. "Kim, it's just a dream. You're okay," I reassured her. It didn't seem to comfort her, and a moment later she rolled off the bench and onto me. "Oof! Kim, calm down!" She was struggling now, and it wasn't helping me stay calm that she was wiggling around in my lap.

"Kim! You're dreaming! It's okay, you're safe! It's me, Jack!" I yelped. 'If she doesn't stop soon, bad things are going to happen,' I complained mentally.

Miraculously, as soon as I said my name, she quieted and stopped struggling. "Jack?" She questioned sleepily. Then she snuggled into my chest and fell back into a deep slumber.

I couldn't take it any more. I just rolled to the side so that her back was against my chest, wrapped an arm around her waist, nestled my head into her neck, and let sleep take me. The last thing I felt was my blonde friend burrowing further into my embrace.

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

When my sight went from black to gray, I knew I was waking up. My eyes took in a fuzzy version of a metal door, which confused me a little. 'My door is wood, not metal.' Then I remembered. I was surprisingly comfortable and warm, considering where I was. My back hurt, but it was soothed by the warmth until it was only a dull ache. I tried to roll over but found it difficult due to a weight on my hip and stomach. Once I finally succeeded in turning, I found myself staring at a tan expanse of chest. Jack's chest. 'And if this is Jack, then the weight on my waist and back must be... oh boy. Well there's a heck of a way to wake up. And why are we on the floor?' I wondered.

"Jack?" I mumbled tentatively. "Jackie boy? Wake up, Jack!" I shouted the last part a little louder than necessary, and Jack jolted awake, his arm tightening around me and pulling me closer as he did so. He looked down at me.

"Kim! Are you all right?" Then he blushed, noticing our position. "Err... sorry. You had a bad dream last night, and you fell on me. When I tried to calm you down, you resisted. At least, you did until I said my name. Then you just... kinda snuggled in. I was too tired to put you back on the bench. Sorry," he explained nervously. When he finished, he let me go and stood, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's all right, Jack. You were just trying to make sure I was okay. And honestly, much as I hate to admit it, it helped." When he looked at me as though I had grown another head, I quickly tacked on, "You're really warm, and because of that, my back doesn't hurt nearly as bad anymore. So, thanks."

"Umm, no problem. Glad I could help. So whadda we do now? We're both well rested and less injured, so we should be able to come up with a plan. Besides, who knows when they're gonna feed us edible food, so escaping sooner rather than later would be good," Jack pointed out.

"Good point. So you're saying that when they come back, we should fight? Are you sure that's a good idea? Oh, and how are you feeling? Your nose looks better, but those cuts look pretty nasty, and so do the bruises. And where did those other bruises come from? I only recall you getting the one on your head. You're covered in them, but I don't remember you getting hit," I continued worriedly.

"I'm fine. I put my nose back in place last night (or whenever it was, since we've got no windows) after you fell asleep. The cuts and the whip mark hurt, but I'll be okay. I just hope they don't get infected. The other bruises I got from being beaten. Jonathan set the ninjas on me when he took you to get branded. And they don't even hurt. I've had plenty of bruises before; they don't bother me anymore," he added cockily.

"Oh yeah, ever the tough guy. I forgot who I was talking to. Glad you're okay, though," I said. 'That's Jack for you. Never wanting to admit he needs help, and never acknowledging that he's hurt. Oh well,' I sighed inwardly.

"Yeah, I'm glad you're okay too. But back to escaping. No, I don't think we should attack when they all come in. I was thinking more along the lines of when they drop off food. The only way to get food in is to open the door. And there probably aren't too many ninjas there when they do," he explained.

"Yeah! So when they open the door, we attack! Jack, you're brilliant!" I exclaimed.

"I try," he said with a smirk and a shrug.

"Oh, shut up," I retorted as I smacked his arm gently. "So how do you suggest we play this?"

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

By the time I finished explaining the plan, Kim was wholeheartedly on board. I was feeling a little smug, but I chose not to show it. I had already been smacked once, and I wasn't looking to give her reason to do it again.

"You know, I _am_ really hungry. We still haven't eaten. But there's no way I'm breaking down and eating that gruel. It's too bad we can't eat the food before we escape," Kim groaned.

"Yeah, I'm starving too. Literally. And I'm really thirsty. I wish they would at least give us some water," I complained. Just then, voices sounded outside the door. They were muffled, but there were a lot of them.

A few seconds later, the door was opened. A much larger tray than last time was pushed through the gap. I leapt to my feet, and Kim followed my lead. We lunged for the gap before it could close, but there were a ton of ninjas in the hall. I went to attack despite the odds, but Kim grabbed my arm and held me back.

Kiiiiiim," I whined. The ninjas shoved us back into the room without actually harming us, thankfully. They slammed the door shut. "What did you do that for?"

"Jack, I need you to be healthy to keep me safe. And I... I can't see you get hurt on my account again. You would have lost anyway, it was like forty to two!" Kim retorted. She seemed embarrassed at first, but that quickly turned into anger. 'She has a point, though. I can't protect her if I'm all beat up, and there's no way I could have taken all those guys. I'm good, but I'm not that good,' I consoled myself. It still hurt that Kim didn't trust my skills.

"Well, as long as we're here, let's see if the food is any good," I said; randomly changing topics Kim-style.

"Good idea. It looks a lot better than last time, and it looks like there's drinks, too!" Kim grinned happily. She picked up the tray and carried it to the bench. "Yeah! There's apples, burgers, and falafel balls! Plus water, lemonade, and soda! This is way better than edible, it's downright tasty!"

"Sweet! Hey, you don't think they're trying to poison us, do you?" I cautioned. Kim put down the burger she had been about to put in her mouth.

"Yeah, you have a point. This is like the perfect food for us. And it looks like it's actually from Circus Burger and Falafel Phil's. That's kind of a creepy thought, huh?" Kim noticed. I looked closer, and saw that she was right. This food did look like the food from our favorite restaurants.

"Well, everything except for the apples, anyway. Those they probably just bought from a store," Kim continued. "But how did they know our favorite foods?"

"I don't know. But you know what? I don't think Jonathan would poison us, at least not yet. He said he was teaching us manners, and we _obviously _haven't learned them yet, so he probably still wants us alive. I guess he just wanted us to have something to eat so we didn't pass out. But I'm gonna eat, because I'm starving," I reasoned. Kim nodded and picked her burger back up again.

I scarfed down four falafel balls, three burgers, and three apples. Then I chugged two bottles of water and a bottle of soda. I had expected Kim to laugh at me for eating like that, but she wolfed down four burgers, one falafel ball, and two apples herself. Then she drank three whole bottles of lemonade in like two minutes!

"Jeez, Kim, hungry much?" I teased. She blushed prettily.

"Shut up, Jack. You ate just as much as me, and you were done first," she snapped playfully as she poked me in the arm. I grinned. A few minutes passed in silence. Then I spoke.

"You know, I just thought of something. We're gonna have to go to the bathroom soon, especially since we just ate and drank. But there's no way either of us are going to go in here," I pointed out with a blush.

"Yeah, you're right. That would be totally embarrassing and nasty. Do you think they're gonna give us a bathroom break? 'Cause I sincerely doubt it," Kim added.

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I guess."

"It's not like we have much of a choice." Kim cleaned up the wrappers, plates, and apple cores, piled them on the tray, and carried the whole mess over to where the bowl of gruel still sat. She placed the bowl and the smaller tray on the larger tray with the rest of the trash.

"Thanks for cleaning up, Kim. Sorry I didn't help," I apologized. She nodded her forgiveness.

"It's all good, Jack. You've saved me how many times, the least I can do is clean up from dinner."

"Now, that's not fair. You've saved me lots of times too!" I argued. She just gave me the 'Shut up, Jack,' look. I decided to let it go. Then I felt something in my stomach. 'Oh boy. That bridge came up way quicker than I was hoping,' I grumbled in my head.

"Well that's not good," I said aloud.

"What?" Kim asked. She looked around worriedly for signs of danger.

"Nothing. Sorry, that was supposed to stay in my head. I just... well... I have to pee," I finished grudgingly. My face was on fire with my blush. Kim smiled, but that smirk quickly turned into a frown.

"Crap! What do we do now?" She complained. Just then, the door was wrenched open. Two ninjas came in and grabbed a hold of me. I could see other ninjas outside the doors to make sure Kim didn't escape. The warriors started dragging me towards the door.

"Jack!" Kim cried.

"Kim!" I yelped back as they pulled me away.

OooOooOooOooO

_A.N. So? Was light and fluffy enough to compensate for the darkness of the other chapters? And did you like it? I hope so, and sorry it took longer than I wanted. I had to talk to someone about ideas, namely my sister whom I mentioned in the A.N. at the beginning. Anyway, do you think I should do a chapter about the others? Oh, and as always, REVIEW!_


	5. Chapter 5 Back at the Dojo

_A.N. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you all rock! I'm gonna check in with Milton, Eddie, Jerry, and Rudy at the dojo this chapter. It starts when Jack and Kim leave the dojo. I promise the next chapter will come quickly so you don't freak out wondering about our dashing duo. Enjoy this chapter, though._

OooOooOooOooO (Milton POV)

Jerry took me down with a flip shortly after our two friends left. I was unsurprised, as Jerry nearly always beat me. Then we took five while Rudy worked with Eddie on his board-breaking. I began to wonder where Jack and Kim were, but I kept it to myself. They had probably just argued and lost track of time or something. Then Rudy had me come up to spar with Eddie.

He threw a sloppy punch, and I dodged to the side. I was distracted by a thumping coming from the ceiling, and I didn't see his sweep-kick until it was almost too late. I jumped over it and threw a punch of my own, the sound forgotten in the heat of battle. Eddie tried a few more weak attacks, but none got through my defense. Eventually, I swept his feet out from under him, and he landed on the mat with a groan.

I looked around the dojo as he stood up. I had won, but just barely. I attributed this to the fact that I had already sparred against Jerry and lost, so I wasn't fresh. Jack and Kim still hadn't returned though, and I decided to voice my concern.

"Hey guys," I called. Everyone looked at me. "It's been way more than five minutes, where do you suppose Jack and Kim are?"

"Dude, they're probably in a corner somewhere making out," Jerry said easily.

"Yeah, everyone knows they're in love with each other," Eddie added.

"Jerry, Eddie, you're wrong," I disagreed. "Everyone can see that they're in love except for them. So they wouldn't be making out. I'm worried. Rudy, can we go look for them?"

"Sure. _I_ think you're doing it to get out of sparring, but fine. Let's go," Rudy commanded. He led the way out the door. There was no one in sight.

"Huh. That's weird, where is everybody?" Our sensei asked.

"Yeah. Where are all the ladies?" Jerry questioned. 'Of course. Jerry will be Jerry,' I thought; slightly annoyed.

"More importantly, where are Jack and Kim?" I snapped. We searched the area with our eyes, but nothing was forthcoming.

"Ooh, I smell corn dogs!" Eddie exclaimed. He raced around the building with a huge grin on his face. Then his wavering voice drifted back to us. "Uh, guys? I found something," he called uneasily. I hurried around the building, and my eyes were met with a very unwelcome sight. There was a small puddle of blood on the ground, one of Kim's hair ties, and a black belt. Kim's black belt.

"Oh no," I whispered. Just then the rest of the Wasabi Warriors came around the corner.

"What happened here?" Rudy wondered. I couldn't help thinking the same thing. 'Obviously there was a fight involving Kim, and probably Jack since they were together when they left. I guess they lost, as they're not here now,' I decided mentally.

"I'm sure it's fine," Jerry comforted. "That's probably just ketchup." He pointed to the bloodstain.

"What about this, though?" Eddie asked as he picked up Kim's belt.

"Kim probably just decided that it didn't match her outfit. Why are you all jumping to conclusions?" Jerry complained.

"Kim _never_ takes off her belt during practice, and her gi is white, so of _course_ it matches!" I yelled.

"Dude, Kim has like no taste. Remember that dress she wanted to wear for the Pearl of Seaford Pageant?" The latino argued.

"Okay, so explain the blood."

"I _told_ you, it's ketchup! Watch!" He snarled. Then, much to my disgust, he bent down and licked the sidewalk. He smacked his lips a couple of times, then said, "Nope, definitely blood."

"Okay, _gross_! But see, I told you they were in danger!"

"What do we do?!" Rudy cried.

"Rudy, you're the adult in charge," Eddie pointed out.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Let's go visit the Black Dragons. I'll bet they have something to do with this," he commanded boldly.

"Wait, guys, I don't think-" I began, but they ignored me as they strode off. I rushed to catch up, trying to ignore my apprehension.

When we arrived at the Black Dragon's dojo, Jerry walked up to Frank, grabbed him by the shirt front, and growled, "What did you do with them?" like Frank was going to psychically know what he meant. Frank just punched him in the gut. A fight ensued. We were horribly outnumbered, and we only had one black belt; Rudy. It was no surprise that we lost. Once we were all on the ground, Frank asked us a question.

"Where are Jack and Kim? I thought they would be with you losers. Don't tell me; they finally figured out how lame you are?" He taunted.

"No, they've been kidnapped," I gasped out. I had taken a pretty good punch to the stomach, and I was still out of breath. "We thought you did it."

"Wait, Kim and Jack have been kidnapped? Gary, cancel our revenge plan for Kim on monday. Darn, that was totally going to work, too. Oh well. Sorry for beating you nerds up, I hope you find them. Now get out of our dojo."

OooOooOooOooO

_A.N. So? What did you think? Was it a good comedy relief? Oh, and was Milton in character? He's harder to write for, so I wanted to make sure it sounded okay. Anyway, the next chapter will return to our dashing duo, and I'll try to get it up soon. Please, please please, REVIEW! _


	6. Chapter 6 Spying Ninjas

_A.N. Well, I'm enjoying the marathon, anyone else? Anyway, here's the next chapter. I got nothing else to say, besides the fact that I don't own Kickin' It._

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

Jack cried out my name as the door slammed behind him, and I was left alone. 'What are they doing to him? Oh no, what if he's being tortured? What if they kill him? What if he comes back so broken that I can't fix him?' These thoughts flew through my head in a storm of horror. I noticed somewhere in the recesses of my mind that one of the ninjas had taken our meal tray, but I didn't really care.

I flopped on one of the benches and tried not to cry. 'C'mon, girl! Pull yourself together! Kim Crawford never cries!' A voice in my head commanded. Another voice spoke up, 'Yeah, but I've cried in front of Jack like three times since we've been here.' The first voice argued back, 'Exactly, so I need to make myself strong again for Jack. I can't even imagine what this has been doing to him. I keep breaking down in front of him; he must feel terrible! Okay, that's it, I'm not gonna cry; I'm gonna be tough. I got this,' I told myself silently.

I sat up, straightened Jack's gi on my shoulders, and finger-combed my hair. Then I sighed, wishing we had saved a water bottle so that I could swish out my mouth now. I felt gross having not brushed my teeth in so long. My hands ran over my face tiredly, and when I set them in my lap again, I groaned. The swelling of the bruises had gone down, but my face still ached.

'I'm so worried about Jack, but I don't hear anything, so he must be okay. Then again, Jack probably wouldn't yell, just for my sake, so for all I know, they're killing him right now, and he's just holding back. Great,' I complained mentally.

'Man, I'm bored. I wonder if this was how Jack felt, or if knowing that I was in danger kept him occupied. I never realized how entertaining Jack was, even just to be around. This is the first time since I got here that I've been bored. Wonderful.' I forced my thoughts to wander to something else after that. It didn't last long, though.

'It's been like twenty minutes, where is he?'

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

A ninja slammed the metal cell door shut, and the last thing I saw was Kim's terrified face. My captors dragged me down the hall, and I struggled the whole way. No one said anything, and the silence was louder than words, broken only by the occasional grunt I let out as I fought in vain to get free of the warriors restraining arms.

After a few minutes of walking down twisting, confusing, stone corridors, we arrived at a metal door similar to all the others I had seen. There was a strange mark on the wall next to it that the ninjas seemed to understand. One man opened the door, and the two holding me shoved me inside. The door shut behind me, but didn't lock. This room was completely dark, so I slid my hands along the wall for a light switch.

As I searched, I thought of something. 'How is there light in our cell? The walls seem solid and there are no torches or anything, but there is some light. It's dim, but it's there. Now that I think of it, it should be as pitch black in there as it is in here. Weird.'

Soon after I came to that conclusion, I found the light switch and flicked it on. I was standing in a tiled bathroom similar to the one at school. 'How did they know I had to go to the bathroom?' I wondered as I took care of my business. Afterwards, I washed my hands and splashed water on my face. My reflection in the mirror looked tired and worried. My brown eyes, usually bright and happy, were dark with fear and horror. I had seen things no kid my age should see. I barely recognized myself in that reflection, and it scared me.

I turned away from the mirror and hurried out the door. I didn't want to think about it anymore. The ninjas, predictably enough, were waiting outside the door. The men snatched my arms and dragged me back the way we had come.

I didn't know the way, but I could tell when we were getting close by estimating the time it took to get to the bathroom. As we approached, I heard yelling.

"Where is Jack? What did you do with him? I know you're out there! Answer me! I _know_ you can hear me, darn it! Quit ignoring me! Hello?!" Kim shrieked. 'Ah, there's the Kim Crawford I know,' I thought with a grin. 'But how can I hear her? Those walls are solid steel! I shouldn't be able to hear her. For that matter, I shouldn't have been able to hear her when she was being branded, either, and I could! There must be spy holes in the wall or something. That would explain why there's light in the cell; it's leaking through the holes in the wall. I bet that's how they knew everything, too! They brought food when we said we were hungry, took me to the bathroom when I said I had to go, and they knew about our escape plan ahead of time. They've been spying on us!' I realized with a jolt.

Just then, I tripped over my feet and went sprawling. The ninjas hadn't been paying attention, and I hit the concrete floor with a painful thump. When I rolled onto my side to get up, I saw several round holes in the wall next to me. We weren't at the cell yet, so I assumed that these were in all the cells. 'Well, at least now we know, and we can work around it,' I consoled myself.

In truth, I was angry with myself for not figuring it out earlier. I considered the possibilities as the warriors yanked me to my feet and marched me the rest of the way to the cell.

Kim had stopped yelling, but now I could hear a loud banging noise. When the door was wrenched open, she fell out of the room and into me. I grunted and moved so she wouldn't fall. When she looked up at me, a pretty blush stained her cheeks.

"Sorry, Jack. I was banging on the door, and I didn't expect it to open. What happened to you, anyway?"

"They took me to the bathroom," I replied. Then I leaned down to whisper in her ear, "And I found out something interesting. I'll tell you when we're alone." She shifted against me, and I noticed that we were still pressed against each other. It must have been odd for her, being in this position with me whispering in her ear so intimately. She abruptly stood ramrod straight and backed into the cell. The ninjas pushed me in after her and slammed the door.

I motioned for her to come closer. She looked oddly nervous, but she obeyed the gesture. 'Here we go again with the whispering,' I grumbled mentally.

"There are spy holes in the walls. That's how we can hear what's going on outside the cell, that's how there's light in here, and that's how they know everything the minute we say something about it. Remember how when you were hungry, they fed us? And when I had to go to the bathroom, they took me? Yeah. That's how they knew about our escape plan, too," I muttered to her without moving my lips.

"Why didn't I think of that? How could I have been so stupid?" She replied angrily.

"I was thinking the same thing about myself, Kimmy. It's not your fault," I answered comfortingly.

"Thanks, Jack. I guess you're right."

"I'm always right," I teased; leaning closer. She stiffened for a second, I could feel her warm breath on my neck, and the world stood still before she shoved me with a grin.

"I have an idea," Kim whispered. "Man, Jack, now I have to pee," she called out loudly. The ninjas walked in and dragged her away as we knew they would.

Twenty minutes went by slower than I would have thought possible, but finally I heard footsteps in the hall.

"Hey, watch the hands, buster," Kim snapped. The door opened, and in walked Kim. She smirked at me as if she knew something I didn't. I just grinned, glad that the Kim I knew was back.

She cocked a finger, and when I came over, she murmured, "I think I know my way through the hallways now. We just have to get out that door. Got any ideas?"

Then the door swung open and smacked into the wall. Jonathan walked in with an unpleasant smile. "Well hello," he greeted.

OooOooOooOooO

_A.N. So? How was that? I know it was a lot of filler, but there were things I needed to explain. It'll all make a lot more sense once things get moving again. In the meantime, REVIEW!_


	7. Chapter 7 Heating Up

_A.N. I hope you like this chapter. There's not much to it, but things will get rolling soon. Enjoy this chapter, though. Oh, and I don't own _Kickin' It_._

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

I edged closer to Jack without even thinking about it, and he tensed as he slid slightly in front of me. As much as I wanted his protection, though, I was insulted by the fact that he thought I needed it. The ninjas meekly followed their leader into our cell, and suddenly I was glad of Jack's presence.

"I hope you are properly grateful this time," Jonathan growled. "I have treated you well for the past day, as you are well aware. I have halted all torture to give you time to heal, I have fed and watered you, and I have cared for your needs. This will not last much longer, but I have one more gift for you. I expect you to be thankful for it."

I stepped forward and opened my mouth, but Jack knew me too well. He put a hand over my mouth and gave me a warning look.

"Yes, thank you for your kindness, Mr. Weaver," Jack forced out. It sounded like every word pained him. Once he finished, he released me with another look.

"Very good, Jackson. You are learning. Kimberly, I will excuse this indiscretion on your part if you apologize and thank me now," he added.

"I'm sorry. Thank you, Mr. Weaver," I managed. My teeth creaked with the effort of not saying any of the things I was thinking, but I did it for Jack's sake. Jonathan smirked proudly.

"You are forgiven, Kimberly. Now, you two, receive my last gift." He gestured, and two ninjas carried in a laundry basket. They set it down in front of Jonathan and bowed out of the room. The other ninjas followed in the same fashion until it was just Jack, Jonathan, and me.

"You have twenty minutes to do what needs done. My men will return to collect the basket then. Be ready, or face the consequences," he threatened. The door closed behind him.

"Let's see what we have here," Jack stated as he pulled things out of the basket. "Well, that's weird. He brought us clean clothes. And it looks like our normal stuff."

"Yeah, you're right. I have this shirt at home! It's not mine, though, 'cause mine has a soda stain on it from Jerry. How did they know what we wear?" I wondered out loud.

"No idea. I guess we should... um... change, right?" Jack asked awkwardly.

"I guess..." I trailed off. He grimaced and grabbed a few things from the basket. With a last glance at me, he slipped on a light blue t-shirt, followed by a blue and green plaid button up which he left unbuttoned.

"Well, turn around so I can change my pants and... other stuff," he ordered nervously. I spun, my face hot, and a few seconds later I heard cloth hitting the floor. 'Don't look, don't look, don't look,' became my mental mantra for those few minutes.

Jack tapped me on the shoulder to signify that he was done dressing. When I turned, he handed me a bundle of clothes. "There's other stuff at the bottom under a blanket. We can look at it together once you're done," he told me.

"Aren't you going to turn around, Jack? I know you saw me topless once, but I would rather you didn't repeat the experience right now," I commented. He whipped around so fast I thought he would get whiplash.

"Sorry, Kim. Wasn't thinking about it," he muttered.

"S'okay, Jack," I answered quietly. In the middle of the ball Jack had given me were under things. 'Good, but kinda creepy. The fact that Jonathan has seen these underwear,' I shuddered. I undid Jack's gi and slid it from my shoulders. It dropped to the floor as I pulled out the garments I needed. Once my pink shirt was safely covering me, I took off my pants. They joined the pile of Jack's dirty clothes, and I kicked the gi over as well.

'Weird, these jeans fit perfectly,' I thought as I zipped them up. 'How does Jonathan know what size we are, where we eat, how we dress, and everything else? It's so freaky!'

"I'm clothed. You can turn around," I called to my brunette friend. "So what else do you think is in the basket?"

"I don't know. Let's find out." With that said, Jack yanked the blanket off of the items with a flourish. It landed on the bench behind us. Medical supplies and assorted other things filled the bottom of the basket.

"I guess Jonathan wants us to be healthy," Jack said as he grabbed some alcohol wipes. "C'mere, Kim. Let me clean out the burns and the cut."

I sluggishly followed him to the bench and sat down next to him on it. I put one knee up so that he was sitting behind me, and gentle hands lifted the back of my shirt. The shudder that wanted to go through my back was forced down, but I knew I was getting goosebumps. 'I hope Jack doesn't notice. That'd be hard to explain.' I heard packaging being ripped, and a few seconds later, cold wetness flowed over my back, followed by a horrible stinging sensation. I winced.

"Sorry, Kim, I know it hurts, but at least this way it won't get infected. Okay, this is gonna hurt, but I need to put peroxide on this. Brace yourself," he ordered. 'I don't know if I like Doctor Jack,' I complained in my head as he wiped something over my wounds that burned. My hands clenched into fists as I fought the pain.

It receded as I felt Jack bandaging my back. "Sorry, Kimmy. On the bright side, you get to do that to my face now, so we'll be even," he pointed out. I didn't even register until later that he had called me Kimmy and I hadn't smacked him for it.

"All right, Jack. Hand me the alcohol wipes and c'mere," I instructed. He obeyed, and soon he was wincing and frowning as I cleaned his face wounds. "Okay, I'll go grab some bandages. Don't move." He nodded.

"I said don't move!" I snapped, and he grinned.

"Sorry," he retorted.

"You're moving by talking!" I whisper-yelled playfully. He laughed as I came back over and unrolled a bandage. Then he froze as I set my hand on the side of his face. I placed a bandage over his whip-cut cheek and taped it in place.

"You okay?" I asked gently. He nodded slightly, and I quickly bandaged his knife-cut and his other cheek. I knew that by now I was blushing. My hand lingered on his cheek, and his chocolate brown eyes filled with a strange emotion I hadn't seen before.

"Jack?" I whispered. He didn't reply, except to lean in. I began to lean as well, until our lips were only inches apart. I could feel his warm breath on my lips, and my heartbeat quickened. His breathing was erratic on my face, and my eyes were drawn to his pink, thick, _very_ close lips.

But then I noticed the cut above them, and I was brought back to reality. I pulled back and ripped some bandage off. Jack looked down as I taped the gauze in place. 'Did I just almost kiss Jack? And did he almost kiss me back?' I wondered.

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

'What just happened?' I wondered breathlessly as Kim bandaged my lip. She let me go and hurried back to the basket. 'Well, that was weird.'

"Oh, awesome! Jack, guess what else is in here!" Kim cried excitedly. "A brush! Now I can feel less gross!"

'You could never be gross, Kimmy,' I thought. 'Even with your hair all messy and your face all bruised, you're the most beautiful girl I know.' But I knew I couldn't say any of this, so I kept it to myself as Kim ran the brush through her golden blonde hair. Soon it was straight and perfect again, and she tossed the brush to me.

"Here, Jack. You can fix your hair so it won't be in your eyes," she added as I caught the blue plastic utensil.

"And what's wrong with my stylishly messy hair, exactly?" I joked as I yanked the brush through my tangled locks.

"It's a mess, it's always in your eyes, and, well, no that's about it. It is kinda cute, but-" she stopped abruptly.

"Cute, huh?" I pondered with a smirk. Unfortunately for me, it came out of my mouth instead of staying in my head where it belonged.

"Shuddup, Jack. Jeez, give a guy one complement and his head becomes the size of Texas." I laughed, and she giggled along with me.

"Sorry. Your hair looks amazing too," I replied apologetically. She blushed.

"Thanks. It's nothing fancy, I mean I only brushed it."

"I know; I saw. But it looks good this way. And you're welcome," I answered with a happy grin.

"Really? It looks okay? Thanks, Jack. You always know what to say to make me feel better," she commented contentedly. The offhand remark made my heart flutter like a caged bird. 'Hold it together, Jack,' I told myself firmly.

"So... what else is in the magical basket?" I questioned with air-quotes.

"Um, a couple pillows, some burn creme, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. It's like a hotel," she added sarcastically. I patted her shoulder comfortingly.

"Here, let's put that stuff under the bench. You can sleep on the bench with the blanket, and I'll sleep on the floor next to it. At least, I will if you quit falling on me," I told the blonde girl. She shoved me, and I stumbled into the bench. 'Good old Kim Crawford.'

"Hey, it's not my fault I'm irresistible!" I complained. She opened her mouth, closed it again, and smiled. For a moment, no one said or did anything. Then she simply chose the things she wanted out of the basket and placed them under the bench as I had suggested. 'Ha, she didn't deny it that time! I'm making progress!' I exalted mentally.

Just then, the ninjas strode in confidently. They snatched up the basket without a glance at us. As they reached the doorway, one warrior turned around.

"Good luck, kiddies," he growled. It was the man from before who had slammed me up against the wall. "You'll need it."

As he turned to leave, I couldn't help myself. I blurted out, "Yeah right. I could _so_ take down Jonathan easily."

The man whipped around again, and even through his mask, I could see his snarl. The other ninjas left without a word, closing the door behind them. The insulted warrior stalked toward us purposefully. 'Shoulda kept my mouth shut,' I considered as he raised a fist.

OooOooOooOooO

_A.N. Sorry it took longer than the other chapters, and sorry it's a little short. I know this chapter wasn't very interesting, except for the romance and the ending, but we're getting to the fast-paced, eventful, action-packed, exciting part. I think that should start in the next chapter. For now, enjoy this chapter as best you can, and REVIEW!_


	8. Chapter 8 Protecting You

_A.N. Well, here's the next chapter. Things are really getting good, and I hope you'll like it. There's more action, more romance, and an escape plan. I don't own _Kickin' It_, by the by. Oh, and you'll probably hate me for the end of this chapter, since there's not going to be an author's note to tell you that then. Now read on._

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

'Why does Jack always have to pick fights at the worst times?' I asked myself as he taunted the ninja. The man moved to attack, and couldn't help but feel bad for him. He was about to meet Jack's angry side, and it was going to be painful.

The ninja swung on Jack, and my friend dodged to the side. Every time the ninja tried a blow, Jack wasn't there anymore, but he never attacked. The man was getting frustrated, and his moves were getting sloppy. Soon I was leaping out of the way of his swings as well. He was unpredictable, angry, and relentless. 'I guess Jack doesn't want to get in trouble again for attacking one of the ninjas, so he's not gonna fight back. Man, he's good,' I thought as I lunged sideways.

I was sliding out of the way of a kick, but I tripped over my feet and fell backwards into Jack's arms. He faltered in his to dodging to catch me, and the ninja took the opportunity to punch the brunette in the face.

Jack was thrown to the ground by the force of the blow, but he wrapped his arms around me and held me to his chest so he took the fall, and I landed safely on top of him. I stared down at him in surprise as he looked up at me breathlessly. Our eyes locked and neither one of us could break away from the emotion-filled staring contest.

The warrior ended it for us by wrenching me off my cellmate and throwing me behind him carelessly. I barely felt the pain as I hit the bench. I was too worried about my friend. The black-clad man then grabbed Jack by his shirt collar and slammed him into the wall.

"You'll pay for what you said, punk. You're a worthless rat, and you ought to be treated as such. Both of you are vermin, and Jonathan will thank me for exterminating you," he snarled viciously before throwing Jack clear across the room. The boy smashed into the door with a horribly loud clanging, slid down to the floor in a heap, and didn't get up.

"Jack!" I yelped in horror. "Jack, no! Are you okay?" I rushed over to him and pressed two fingers to his neck. Once I found his pulse, I could breathe again, and anger rocketed through my body in a wave of heat. I stormed over, tapped the ninja on the shoulder, and when he turned around, I punched him in the jaw. He went down, but then he got to his knees. 'Determined one,' I contemplated. 'Good. I can't hit a guy who isn't fighting back, and I definitely want to hit this guy some more.'

Before he could get to his feet, I kicked him in the lower belly. Then I brought my knee into contact with his forehead, and he dropped like a stone. This time, he didn't get up. I could see his breathing, though, and I was relieved. I wasn't a killer, and no matter how angry I was, I didn't want to become one.

My anger spent, I sprinted across the small cell to Jack's side once more. "Jack? Jack, please wake up. You have to wake up! _Jack!_" I screamed. He grunted and shifted, but his beautiful brown eyes didn't open. The door did, though. It hit Jack and I both, and we were pushed up against the wall as a few ninjas walked in to carry out their fallen comrade.

The door shut, and I grabbed Jack's torso before he could fall. I laid his head in my lap and stroked his hair with gentle, shaking fingers.

"Jack, please wake up. I need you to open those wonderful chocolate eyes for me, please," I begged. "Jack, you have to be here to protect me and to make me laugh. I need for you to be the cocky, sarcastic, strong Jack Anderson I know. Please, Jack. Don't leave me." I was crying now, and my tears were falling on his face.

"Kim? You're getting my face wet," came a weak voice from under my curtain of hair.

"Jack?" I asked.

"And I'm not going anywhere, Kimmy," he told me as he wrapped me in his arms. My arms went around his neck without my telling them to do so, and I was glad, because my brain wasn't working too well.

"You better not," I whispered into his warm chest as my grip on him tightened. The tears were still flowing, but I was determined that Jack wouldn't see them. Unfortunately, Jack knew me better than that.

"Kim, are you crying?" I didn't reply, knowing that if I did my voice would crack. "Kim, look at me. Kimmy." He grabbed my chin and tilted my head so that he could see my face.

"Kimmy, I'm fine. And I'm not going anywhere. I'll be all those things you asked me to be, and I'll never leave you. I promise." He wiped the tears off my face. "Would'ya look at that. The unbreakable Kim Crawford, crying over little old me," he teased. That got a chuckle out of me, albeit a weak wet one.

"Why couldn't you keep your mouth shut, you idiot?" I demanded. "He could have killed you! He was certainly aiming to! Now we're both gonna get in huge trouble with Jonathan!"

His face fell, and he put his head down. "I'm sorry, Kim. I wasn't thinking. I know it was dumb and impulsive. But I won't let Jonathan hurt you. It was all my fault, and I'm not letting you take any of the blame or any of the pain for this," he consoled me.

"Jack, I can't just let Jonathan use you as a punching dummy! You mean _way_ too much to me for me to let that happen. If you go down, I'm going down right next to you, and there's nothing you can do to stop me," I informed him.

"But Kim, I can't stand watching you be hurt! It kills me inside to hear you yell in pain and know that I caused it, indirectly or not. And this wasn't your fault, it was mine! You were just defending me, and I'm not gonna let you get hurt because I couldn't keep my big mouth shut." I blushed. For such an idiot who wouldn't let me fight my own battles, Jack could be really sweet sometimes. I fell into a silence, just staring at Jack with my arms still around his neck.

"Maybe neither of us has to be hurt!" I suddenly exclaimed. "I have a plan," I whispered as I leaned closer. Just then the door flew open and Jonathan stormed in.

"I thought you two had learned your lessons!" He shouted angrily.

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

Jonathan screamed at us, and I felt Kim flinch in the circle of my arms. I stood, carefully setting Kim on her feet without releasing her.

"I have been more than fair, I have taught you valuable manners, and I have let you live. How do you thank me? By attacking my men and insulting me!" Jonathan sounded furious and insane. 'Oh boy. This is gonna be messy and painful,' I thought with a wince. Kim jerked away from me, and my heart dropped through my stomach to the floor.

"But Mr. Weaver-" Kim began. Then she fainted.

"Kim!" I found myself yelling. Somehow I knew that this was part of some master plan and that I had to play along.

"Ugh. Get her out of here and fix her," Jonathan snapped impatiently. His composure was completely shattered now. A ninja moved to scoop Kim up. She didn't stir. "Take her to the infirmary. As soon as she wakes up, bring her back so I can beat her up," our captor commanded.

The warriors parted to let the blonde-bearing man out. When he reached the door, I leapt into action by snatching Kim out of his arms, running out the door, taking a rapid turn, and sprinting for freedom.

"Great job, Jack!" Kim cried. "I knew you'd know what to do! Take this right!" I obeyed, skidding around the bend. Running footsteps echoed behind us.

"And here comes the fuzz," I joked. Kim laughed quietly, but she seemed preoccupied with remembering directions. This made me think of a pressing question. "How do you know how to get out, anyway?" I asked.

"When the ninjas took me to the bathroom, we passed an exit. Take this left! Anyway, I could tell it was an exit 'cause there was fresh air, a breeze on my face, and birds singing. Plus, the ninjas got all worried until we were past it. This left, and then there'll be a door on your right. Go through it, and we should be almost there," she commanded. The footsteps behind us were receding now.

"I think we're losing 'em!" I exclaimed proudly.

"Yeah! Go Jack!" Kim cheered. i whipped through the doorway she had mentioned, and I could here the birds, just as she had said. "Yes! We're free!" I ran through the open door with a grin. There was finally sun on my face and wind in my hair, but there were no footsteps behind us.

"We did it!" I yelped as I set Kim on her feet only to pick her up again and spin her around in excitement. She stared into my eyes with her beautiful hazel gaze for a second, and there was a strange excitement in them. I was entranced. We both leaned in, and our lips connected in our first kiss.


	9. Chapter 9 Who Done It

_A.N. Here's your next update of what's going on at the dojo. i hope you like it, but there's no action. It's just the explanation of how the guys avoid trouble over Jack and Kim being missing, and what they do to try and find them._

OooOooOooOooO (Milton POV)

"Okay, I admit, that was dumb," Jerry apologized as we limped out of the skate park.

"Ya think?" Eddie asked sarcastically. "Why would Luke have kidnapped Jack and Kim anyway? He just wants to build skate parks!"

"I said it was dumb, okay? You don't need to be mean, yo," he muttered sadly.

"Well, we did just get our butts handed to us by a bunch of skaters," I pointed out. "It was bad enough losing to the Black Dragons yesterday, and we had Rudy along then. Why did I agree to go in there with you two?" This last part was directed at myself more than my friends, but they looked hurt.

"Sorry, I'm just worried. I still say we should call the police."

"We can't do that, man. We're a bunch of kids; they would think it was a joke," Jerry retorted.

"A bunch of kids and Rudy," Eddie interjected.

"Exactly! They wouldn't believe us, dude," the latino said firmly.

"We could at least stop lying to their parents about it. I mean, telling them that we were having a sleep over answered their questions last night, but we can't keep covering for them forever," I complained. "And we can't even call them because both of their phones were in their bags. What if their parents call them? What do we do then? Gaaaaah!"

"Milton, calm down!" Eddie yelled over my unhappy exclamation.

"Yeah, man, chill. It'll be fine. We just have to find out who took them and go get them back," Jerry added calmly. He thought for a minute, and I prepared myself. 'Oh boy. This isn't gonna end well. Jerry thinking never does.' Suddenly he clapped his hands together excitedly.

"I'll bet it was Kai! That dude never could accept that Jack was better than him, and he was willing to throw his _own cousin_ over the Great Wall of China! He would totally be willing to kidnap Jack and Kim if he had the chance! Let's go get him!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Eddie cautioned. "There's no way we can beat Kai and his friends. We've gotten our butts kicked twice in two days. Let's not make it three. How's about we go down to Falafel Phil's to think and eat, huh?" He suggested.

"That's always your idea, Eddie," I snapped.

"What? I can't think on an empty stomach! Pleeeeeeeease, Milton?" He begged.

"Fine," I acquiesced.

OooOooOooOooO (Eddie POV)

I ordered my usual and settled into a booth. Milton was still glaring at me, and Jerry was staring off into space. 'Where could Jack and Kim be?' I wondered. 'The Black Dragons don't have them, Luke doesn't have them, who could it be? Kai could pull it off if he had all of his friends with him. Those thugs that tried to steal our geocashing treasure could do it too, but why would they want to? And what about the Meatball King?'

"I still can't believe you can eat at a time like this!" Milton growled. I looked down to see that my falafel had arrived, and I began scarfing.

"Well, I told you, I can't think on an empty stomach. So who do you think took them? And why?" I asked with a mouth full of falafel.

"Well I'm all out of ideas," Jerry said stupidly. I swallowed hugely.

"It could have been Kai, those thugs from the docks, or the Meatball King. Hmm, or maybe Ricky Weaver," I told Milton. He nodded.

"Kai is a viable option-"

"That's what I said!" Jerry burst out.

"He certainly hates Jack enough. And Kim messed up his plan too by holding back his ninjas, at least according to the story we got. The thugs were strong enough, but I can't think of a motive besides the fact that Jack and Kim were the ones who beat the boss guy. The Meatball King would've asked for a ransom by now, and he was scared of us. Besides, there's no way his goons could have kidnapped Jack and Kim, they're too strong," Milton reasoned.

"What about that Ricky Weaver jerk?" Jerry put in.

"He's not strong enough either. But I guess he could have hired dudes to kidnap Jack and Kim. Kim humiliated him, and Jack sicced the paparazzi on him, so..." I trailed off.

"So it was probably Kai, the thugs, or Ricky. Man, we have a lot of enemies," Milton summed up.

"Yeah, bro! We're swag, yo, and everyone is jealous of our skill with the ladies," Jerry added. 'Well, at least Jerry's back to normal. I wish I could say that for the rest of us. I'm so worried about Jack and Kim, but at least this might make them finally admit their feelings for one another,' I pondered. 'It'd be more than we could manage, and we've been trying for months.'

"Jerry!" Milton chastised. "Anyway, why don't we go to Ricky Weaver first, since he can't beat us up?"

OooOooOooOooO (Milton's POV)

I googled directions to Ricky Weaver's mansion, and we called up Rudy. I gave Eddie control of the phone; trusting him to do the talking. He put it on speaker as I thought. 'Eddie's actually been really useful during this... escapade. Jerry... not so much. But Eddie's come up with some really good ideas. It's nice to have someone who I can trust to be sensible in all of this craziness. Now what do we tell Jack and Kim's parents?'

"Hey, Rudy, it's Eddie, Milton, and Jerry. We know where we're going. We're headed to Ricky Weaver's mansion. And I have an idea of how to get off school to go there. Plus, if we play it right, it'll take care of the explanation for Jack and Kim's absence, too," Eddie said into the phone.

"Wait, what?" Jerry asked confusedly. "What's the plan, man?"

"Okay, so we need to print out permission slips for a field trip with the dojo. We can turn them in to the school for an educational absence, and tell the parents that we'll be gone for a few days in a place where there's no cell signal. That way once the weekend's over, we won't have to skip school to search, and Jack and Kim's parents won't call them. Whaddaya think?" Eddie questioned.

I grinned. "Great plan Eddie! I couldn't have thought of a better one myself. Rudy, Jerry, you in?"

"Yeah, yo! This is gonna rule!" Our latino friend yelped happily.

"I'm in. Milton, you wanna type up permission slips? You're better at talking adult than I am," Rudy pointed out.

"Okay, I'm on it," I reassured him. "We'll be at the dojo in five. Let's do this." We hurried to the dojo, and I ran into Rudy's office. He had a laptop on his desk.

"I've got the first part done, but you might wanna look over it. And then add whatever else needs added. And hurry, so we can get on the road today. Jack and Kim could be in serious danger," Rudy cautioned me as he left the office. I looked at the document on the screen.

_Dear parents,_

_ We at the Bobby Wasabi dojo are taking a trip to learn about different styles of karate. We will be visiting several other dojos, and we aren't sure how long we will be gone. There will seldom be phone service, so we advise against calling your child. They will be fed and housed for free. The only requirement is that they be excused from school for the week._

"Rudy, this is perfect! Nicely done!" I called out the open door. I added a few things, put a line at the bottom for signatures, and printed six copies. 'I only need five, but knowing Jerry, he'll lose one. I feel bad for wasting paper, but better safe than sorry,' I considered as I snatched up the slips.

"Here you go, guys. Take them home and get them signed. Rudy, can you get these to Jack and Kim's parents?" I asked as I handed out the papers.

"Yeah, sure. Meet me back here in an hour. I'll have the van ready, and we can head to the doll haired freak's house, 'k?" I laughed at Rudy's name for Ricky and headed out the door. 'It's good to have direction,' I thought nervously. 'Time to get moving.'

OooOooOooOooO (Rudy POV)

I still can't believe this could happen, and in my dojo!' I considered as I hurried to Jack's house. His was closer, and I didn't feel like taking my car. I ran up the driveway, tugged my hair into place, and knocked.

A brown-haired woman opened the door.

"Excuse me, but are you Jack Anderson's mother?" I asked. She nodded. "I am Rudy, the sensei at Jack's dojo. We are going on a field trip this week, and I would like you to sign Jack's permission slip, if you don't mind. I will see to it that my students are excused from school and that everything is taken care of."

She nodded again, took the paper out of my hand, and walked back inside her house. I decided to stay outside until she returned, which she did quite soon. She handed back the slip with a scrawled signature at the bottom.

"Tell Jack I told him to have fun," she said in a beautiful, musical, alto voice. Now it was my turn to nod.

"I'll make sure he gets the message." She closed the door as I calmly walked down the driveway. As soon as I turned the corner, I began sprinting to Kim's house.

Soon her little brick house came into view, and I slowed. My breathing had eased by the time I reached the front door, and I once again smoothed my hair before knocking. A tall, brunette, hazel-eyed woman opened the door.

"Hello? Oh, you're Rudy, aren't you? What's up?" She questioned. 'She's really bubbly,' I thought as I explained about the trip. She pulled a pen out of her hair and wrote out a loopy, elaborate signature on the slip.

"There you go! Tell Kim I told her to have fun!" She exclaimed. 'Hmm, Jack's mom told me the same thing. That's odd. Oh well, now back to the dojo.' I started running once again.

OooOooOooOooO

_A.N. Sorry it's short and boring, but this stuff is important to a good story. Tell me what you think, ok? And don't be afraid to criticize! I need all the help I can get with the guys POV's. Please, PLease, PLEase, PLEAse, PLEASe, PLEASE, REVIEW!_


	10. Chapter 10 Escape at Last

_A.N. Well, here's the long-awaited update. Sorry it took so long. I have my audition for the school play tomorrow, and I'm really nervous. The energy translated into a new chapter. Enjoy!_

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

Jack's lips pressed into mine, and I swooned. Then, I heard footsteps, and we broke apart. Jack grabbed my hand again, and we raced through the unfamiliar area around the building, heading for freedom.

"Where do we go now?" Jack asked as we ran toward a tall chain link fence.

"Umm…" I answered unsurely. Jack pulled me sharply to the right, and we ran parallel to the fence. He was sprinting quite fast, and I was scrambling to keep up.

"Any ideas?" I panted.

"Nope. I got nothing. Wait!" Jack stopped and turned to me. A part of me blushed inwardly, but I focused on the task at hand.

"Whaddaya got?" I asked hurriedly. He didn't reply right away, but he appeared thoughtful. "Sooner would be better than later here, Jack," I insisted.

"Do you trust me?" He asked suddenly. I was stunned for a few seconds as my friend stared at me. When I didn't answer right away, he looked hurt, and I was jolted out of my stupor.

"Of course I trust you, Jack. I trust you with my life and everything else." Without saying another word, Jack grabbed me by the waist and threw me over the fence. I caught myself on the other side before I hit the ground, and Jack began scampering up the fence like a monkey.

He flung himself over the top and started climbing down as I made my way to the ground. My feet hit the dirt, and seconds later Jack joined me.

"You could have warned me!" I yelped. "It was a great idea, but you could have clued me in before you just threw me!"

"Worked, didn't it? That reminds me, we should probably go…" he trailed off.

"Yeah. Let's go!" I grabbed his hand again, and we ran off towards the distant tree line. I looked up to the sky for the first time in days.

"It's getting dark," I pointed out. "I wonder how long we were in there. It could have been days! Our parents must be so worried!" I was too busy staring at Jack to watch where I was going, and consequently I tripped over a rock. I stumbled.

"Kim? Are you okay?" Jack demanded immediately. I nodded, but pain was radiating through my ankle. "You're lying," he observed. "Do you think you can make it to the woods? We can hide after that, but we need to get that far. If you can't do it, I can carry you. You've been through quite a lot in the past few days. Kimmy, are you okay?" he repeated.

"I'm fine, Jack. I can make it. Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I'm weak!" I snapped. He grinned weakly at me as we finally reached the first trees.

"I know you aren't weak, Kim. You're amazing! And you're a black belt. I would never call you weak, not in a million years. No matter what happens, Kim, you'll never be weak."

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

I pushed back the urge to kiss her again. It was much harder now that I knew how amazing it was to kiss Kim Crawford. I managed, but only because our lives were in danger. We continued dodging through the small trees at the outskirts of the forest.

'Where can we hide? Where can we hide?' I asked myself silently. Nothing was forthcoming. None of the trees had low branches, and I didn't see any caves around. 'This is always so much easier in movies!' I complained mentally.

"Jack?" Kim gasped. "Any ideas yet? Neither of us can keep this up much longer. I mean, we've only eaten once in the past few days, and we're not exactly in peak physical condition." I took this to mean that she was getting tired.

'She definitely twisted her ankle,' I told myself. 'And her back is probably hurting her again. Why did we escape now instead of waiting for her to get better? I'm such an idiot! This is all my fault, and now Kimmy's in pain because of me! What was I thinking?' My head whipped around, and I was almost panicking now.

'There's got to be something!' When I paused for breath, I heard no footsteps following us, and relief swamped me. 'At least the ninjas aren't behind us anymore. We must have lost them when we jumped the fence. I wonder where we are, anyway. Once we get away from the ninjas, we're gonna have to figure that out. I guess now's not the time, though,' I considered. Then I spotted something at long last.

"Kim, up this tree! C'mon!" I cried as I pushed the blonde towards a tree with low branches. She began scrambling up branch by branch, and I climbed up after her. I watched nervously as she faltered a few times, my arms out and ready to catch her if she fell. Fortunately and unfortunately, it wasn't her who fell. It was me.

OooOooOooOooO

_A.N. Sorry, I know the wait was long and this chapter was really short, but school just started and I'm busy. I'll try to get more chapters up soon, but I'm having trouble with the transition between this part and the next one. Never fear that I will give up on this story, though. Tell me what you think, and all ideas are welcome. REVIEW!_


	11. Chapter 11 In the Trees

_A.N. Well, here we go again. Sorry about the wait. I knew where I wanted to go, but I had to figure out the transition so that it didn't move too fast or too slow. I hope it worked, and I hope you like it._

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

Jack slipped, lost his grip, and dropped from the tree. "Jack!" I shrieked as he fell. He hit branch after branch, and my heart pounded a mile a minute as I waited for him to smash into the ground. I knew he would at least break a few bones if he hit, so I was beyond relieved when he caught himself.

"Jack?" I called nervously. He pulled himself back onto the branch that had saved him about ten yards from the forest floor. "You all right?" He didn't answer right away, and all the worry rushed right back.

"'M fine, Kimmy. Gimme a sec," he grunted as he began to climb again. I listened fearfully for the footsteps of the ninjas, but all I heard was the creaking of the tree and the little noises of pain Jack let out as he climbed. Finally, he reached the branch I had stopped on. He heaved himself up next to me and flopped down on his back with a groan.

I smacked his arm. "You idiot! You could have died!" I told him angrily. Then I couldn't hold the relief in any longer, and I wrapped my arms around his waist in a tight hug. He slid his arms around my shoulders as I shook. The adrenaline hadn't faded yet, and that was probably why I was shaking so badly. 'No, you were afraid for Jack's safety. That's why you're trembling,' part of my brain informed me, 'No, it's all the running and food deprivation,' the sensible section retorted.

'Quit lying to yourself.' 'I'm not lying to myself, and even if I am, why shouldn't I?' Then I realized that I was arguing with myself and hurriedly turned my thoughts to other things.

I opened my eyes again, and it was completely dark. The sun had finally set. I shifted slightly, and I thought I heard a nearly silent hiss of pain from my companion. "Jack, are you sure you're okay?" I asked. He jumped a little in surprise before he spoke, and I wondered how long we had been sitting there hugging in a tree like freaks.

"Yes, Kim, I'm sure. I have a few new bruises. I'm much more worried about you. How's your ankle?" I rolled my eyes in irritation.

"You know, your hero complex gets really annoying sometimes. My ankle is _fine_. Relax, Jack. We're free now, we're not in danger anymore, and it's all uphill from here."

He released me from his grip, and I slid away from him a little on our branch. I started swinging my feet back and forth out of sheer boredom more than anything else. Something occurred to me, and I discovered a very pressing question.

"So, what's the plan, man?" I inquired with a small smile. For a few seconds, Jack looked nervous, and I wondered if there was a plan at all.

"Well, we need to find out where we are first. I suppose we should walk through the woods until we find civilization. We can knock on somebody's door and ask to use his or her phone. Simple, right?"

"Sounds good, Jack. But I'm really tired, and the ninjas could still be out there. Don't you think we should take it easy, at least until tomorrow?" Really, I just wanted to rest for a little while, but there was no way I was going to tell Jack that.

"Okay, Kim. You're probably right. We can sleep up here for tonight and get started in the morning. How's that?" I nodded slowly, and the boy pulled me closer. "I'm so sorry, Kim. I wasn't thinking. You must be in a ton of pain and exhausted. Go to sleep, I'll keep watch for now." He leaned closer conspiratorially. "I won't let you fall out of the tree," he joked.

"Oh, because you're so good at it," I snapped playfully. He put up his hands in surrender, and I relaxed again. After a few seconds, tiredness took over, and I lay down on the thick branch. Jack pulled my head into his lap, and I fell asleep staring up at his chin. 'Jack needs a shave,' I thought murkily as the world of dreams took over my mind.

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

"You need a shave," Kim murmured as she fell asleep. Once I was sure she was safely dreaming, I felt my chin. I did have stubble. 'Kim's funny when she's sleepy,' I pondered as I watched the forest floor. It was hard because of how dark it was, but I wasn't tired, and it was the only thing I could think of to do. No, that wasn't true. My eyes fell on the face of the girl asleep in my lap.

Kim Crawford was a beautiful girl. I had known that the first time I had seen her. Once I got to know her, I learned that she was beautiful on the inside too. But I couldn't help noticing how pretty she was, even with how bruised she was. She turned her head in my lap, and I fought back a groan.

"Kim, quit teasing me," I commanded her. I knew she couldn't hear me, but it helped me somehow. She shifted again, and I forced myself not to grab her head to stop her movements.. "Kim…" I repeated warningly.

"Jack," she muttered. "Jack!" This time it was a squeak, and it sounded almost embarrassed. "Oh, Jack." I didn't want to think about what she was dreaming about. Then she rolled.

"Kim!" I yelled as I lunged after her. I caught her, yanked her back onto the branch, and resettled her. Amazingly, she didn't even stir. I swung my legs over the side of the branch before I set her head on my thighs to avoid any more problems.

"Kim, I need to take better care of you. You must be really tired if that didn't wake you up. I'm so sorry." She didn't reply, as she was still sleeping soundly. After the scare she had given me, I didn't want to sleep, but it had also tired me out. I leaned against the trunk of the tree and tried to fight back the urge to relax. I figured that talking would help, so I just said the first thing that popped into my mind.

"I'm in way over my head here. We have no idea where we are, there's a crazy guy after us, and you're all messed up and hurt. Now I feel like I have to take it all on my shoulders and protect you. I know you aren't weak, but I don't want to see you get hurt again. I also know you would kill me if you could hear me right now. But I need to figure out what to do, and I need to do it before you ask me. I know you're scared. Heck, I'm scared too. But I promise I'll keep you safe, Kim."

She began whimpering in her sleep, probably the prisoner of some horrible nightmare. I hated to think it, but it was probably real, or at least something that had really happened. The last few days had been a nightmare for her, really. Unbidden, my hand began stroking her hair. "It'll be okay, Kimmy. I'm here. Jack's got you," I comforted her. She nuzzled into my hand and quieted.

"Good night, Kim." I let my back slide down the trunk until I was lying almost horizontal, tugged Kim up next to me, placed her head on my chest, and wrapped her in my arms to keep her from falling again. It was bliss to hold this wonderful girl, and that was what I thought about as my eyes drifted closed. I felt safe for the first time in days. 'Funny, considering the fact that I'm about forty feet off of the ground in a tree. But I do feel safe, and it has a lot to do with the sleeping blonde I'm cuddling with.'

OooOooOooOooO

_A.N. So? I know it was kinda filler-y, but I had to put in a little before we move on to the next part of the story. Thing should get really moving again in the next chapter unless I check in on the dojo. But I probably won't, because there can be some humor if I play this right. So I hope you enjoyed the romance, and the next chapter should get Jack and Kim off on their journey. Please review and tell me what you think! PLEASE, I need to know! I love all my readers!_


	12. Chapter 12 Out of the Frying Pan

_A.N. Here we go. I finally got back on track. I experienced a very painful loss in my family this week, and writing helped to soothe the hurt. And so this chapter was born. I hope you like it. I finally got into the next stage of the story, and I am very glad for that. I know it's short, and I'm sorry, but here you go. Read on. Oh, and I don't own Kickin' It._

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

I woke up to the sun on my face for the first time in days. I was also in Jack's arms, but that was how I had woken up the last time, too. It was still pretty comfortable.

"Jack," I called gently. He pulled me closer, but he didn't wake up. "Jack," I repeated. He didn't respond. "Jackie, wake up." He tugged me closer still, but this time I could see a grin appearing on his face. "I know you're awake, Jack. Open your eyes." He obeyed, and his brown gaze met my hazel one.

"Good morning, Kim. Are you ready to get moving?" He asked as he stared at me.

"Um, yeah, I guess so," I replied. "But I'm not going to be able to go much of anywhere if you don't let me go." The boy flushed as he released me. I missed the warmth as I sat up. I also realized that I was damp with dew, and a shiver ran down my spine in the chilly morning air.

"All right, let's get out of here," I said with conviction. With that, I began dragging my half-broken body down the tree. All of the injuries, small and large, that I had sustained culminated in one solid ache that wracked my frame. It was very distracting, as was the… interesting view of Jack I had as I looked up at him. These reasons probably had a lot to do with my foot slipping on a branch about ten feet from the ground.

I was watching Jack to make sure he didn't plummet as he had the last time he had climbed the tree, so I wasn't watching my footing. There was a treacherous wet spot on the branch I was trusting my weight to. My foot skidded out from under me, and I had a hard time not falling out of the tree myself. My arm locked around the branch level with my face, and I was saved from the drop. Despite this, Jack rushed down to my branch worriedly.

"Kim, are you okay? Did you hurt your ankle again? And how's your back?"

"I'm _fine_, Jack. You seriously need to calm down. I'm a big girl, and I can take care of myself. I stared him in the eyes until he looked away. As much as I cared about Jack, he needed to understand that I wasn't always his damsel in distress and that I could handle myself.

"Sorry, Kimmy. I just hate seeing you hurt, and I've had to see that way too much lately," he explained as he fixed his gaze on the branch beneath our feet. I'm all too human, and I relented.

"It's okay, Jack. I just hate feeling helpless." He nodded and continued climbing down. Now it was he who had the view, which embarrassed me to no end. I also noted that he looked ready to catch me if I stumbled even the slightest bit. It seemed that I hadn't gotten through to him as much as I'd hoped.

'Oh well. Jack will be Jack,' I thought with a sigh as my feet sank onto the forest floor. My companion pointed in a direction we decided was probably the opposite of the way we had come, and we started off.

For a few minutes, we trudged along in silence, both lost in our own thoughts. I considered my family, the boys back at the dojo, school, and Jonathan. All in all, my ideas were too jumbled for me to make much sense of it. I wondered if Jack was having better luck.

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

As we wandered along aimlessly through the trees, my thoughts followed a similar, meandering path. But one thing dominated my mind: the blonde girl walking next to me. Neither of us spoke, though, and the silence stretched longer and longer.

After an hour of roaming, Kim broke the mutual quiet. "I wish I had my phone," she lamented. I couldn't help myself; I started laughing. She glared at me briefly, but then she joined in with my mirth. I didn't know why it was so funny, and I had a feeling that neither did she, but it was funny. It felt good to laugh.

Finally, I controlled myself, and she shoved me into a tree playfully. "Oh, you'll regret that, Crawford," I told her menacingly. She just giggled as I pretended to shove her back, but then she went silent. I swear her ears perked up as she listened intently. In the ensuing quiet, I heard what she had noticed. Cars and people talking. A.K.A. civilization.

"People!" Kim exclaimed as she raced toward the sounds. I was right at her heels. It seemed that the nightmare was finally over. We broke out of the trees at long last and found ourselves in a small town. Kim hardly hesitated to cross the street that was right in front of the tree line to the house on the other side.

"Kim, wait up!" I called as I chased her across the road. It wasn't a busy town, and I was glad of that, especially since I knew that I was a mess of bruises and there was probably vegetative matter in my hair. When I arrived at her side, Kim was already using the knocker.

"We'll ask to use a phone, call Rudy, find out where we are, and finally get home," Kim summed up excitedly. I heard footsteps approaching the door, and the anticipation of a friendly face was almost too much for me. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. A familiar, unfriendly face opened the door.

"Jack?" Kai asked surprisedly. Then his shock turned to a smirk. "Come on in." He grabbed my arm in one hand and his other arm wrapped around Kim's shoulder. I attempted to struggle, but it was too late. The door swung shut behind us. Kai let me go briefly, and I heard the click of the lock. But to me, it sounded like the clanging of a metal cell door. 'Trapped again. Great.'

OooOooOooOooO

_A.N. Well? How was it, besides far too short? And what do you think of the plot twist? Tell me, tell me, tell me! Push that little button down there and leave a REVIEW! __Oh, and how did you like the title? I expect you know the rest of the saying._


	13. Chapter 13 Into the Fire

_A.N. Well, here we go again. I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter, and I hope you like this one too. And in answer to the question I received, that saying goes, "out of the frying pan, into the fire," hence the name of this chapter._

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

Kai wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me through the doorway, which slammed behind him. It was dim, cold, and creepy in the hallway, and the sound of the door shutting echoed. I flinched, and the arm around me tightened as the lock clicked shut.

'Why would Kai let go of Jack and not me? He's never even seen me fight, but he knows how much damage Jack can do!' Then I watched as Kai planted a foot in Jack's back and sent him crashing to the ground.

"Jack!" I yelped. I tried to wrench out of Kai's hold, but I was too weak after all I had been through.

"Now, where do you think you're going?" He sneered. I quailed, but then I stiffened my spine.

"Wherever I want, Kai," I spat. He chuckled.

"I don't think so, girlie. I think you're going where I want you to, when I want you to, how I want you to. Don't mess with me, or you might not live to regret it." Then he looked closer at my face. "Hey, you're that girl from the Great Wall! You stopped my friends from helping me!"

Just then, Jack seemed to stir from his daze at Kai's angry tone. "Kim!" He called worriedly from the floor.

"Ah, Kim, is it? Well, nice to meet you." He shoved me down onto Jack's back. Jack let out a small grunt as I smacked full-force into him, and I heard Kai's laughter receding as he walked away.

"Sorry," I muttered as I attempted to stand. I could hear Kai moving around nearby, but I couldn't see him in the dim lighting. Then I was yanked to my feet by my hair and pulled back against Kai. He looped an arm around my waist tightly before leaning down to Jack. I heard something click before he stood.

"What did you put on me, Kai?" Jack snarled as he got to his feet. I looked at him, and I easily spotted the gleaming steel handcuffs linked around his wrists.

"Don't worry about it, coz. Just move." With that, he shoved the brown-haired boy down the hall, dragging me along for the ride.

"Hey! Let us go! What do you think you're doing?" I snapped.

"Kidnapping you. What does it look like?" He retorted as he pushed Jack and me into a room at the end of the hall. "Make yourselves at home."

I looked around our new prison. It was somewhat similar to our old one, but it appeared less secure. This made me feel a little more hopeful, but not much. 'Why couldn't we have found someone normal for help? Why did it have to be Kai? I mean really, what are the odds of that?' I complained mentally.

A groan brought my back to myself, and I searched for Jack with my eyes. He was lying facedown on the ground with his hands behind his back in what looked like a very painful position. "Jack!" I cried. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry, this is all my fault, and now this, I am so sorry!"

"Kim!" Came Jack's muffled voice. "Calm down. Just help me sit up." I obeyed immediately; still worrying as I did so. "What did Kai put on me, anyway? All I know is that it's cold, and it's stopping me from moving my arms," Jack questioned.

"It's a pair of handcuffs. Good ones, by the look of the metal. Much better than Joan's, anyway. Can you get out of them?" I asked.

He tried, and I could see his thick arm muscles straining through his shirt with the effort. After a few seconds, he relaxed again. "Nah, they're too tight and strong. I can't slip out of them or break them. But I don't need my hands. I'll take Kai down without them. He's not going to hurt you, Kim. No one is going to hurt you again. Not on my watch," the brunette promised fervently.

"Jack, the last time you fought Kai he tried to kill you! You can't fight him without your hands, or he _will_ kill you! We have to get those handcuffs off of you before we try anything. And if I get hurt, I get hurt. I'm not letting you put yourself between danger and me again, especially when danger's after you more than me. I can take care of myself, Jack. Trust me," I told him quietly.

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

I grew woozy as I struck the ground. I was aware of Kai talking, but I couldn't decipher the words. My only coherent thought was, 'He better be talking to me and not Kim.' It was almost comical to me that I was being this overprotective. Then again, I knew how evil my cousin could be, and I didn't want him being evil to my Kimmy.

My mind cleared a bit, and I heard Kai snarl, "Hey, you're that girl from the Great Wall! You stopped my friends from helping me!" My reaction was automatic.

"Kim!" I yelled as I tried and failed to rise. A few seconds later, a warm body landed on top of me, knocking the air out of me.

"Sorry," Kim whispered as I listened to Kai walking away. Kim began shifting around on my back, but then she was hauled off of me. Something cold clamped around my wrists, and I lurched to my feet.

"What did you put on me, Kai?" I growled. Kai taunted me before forcing me to walk down the dimly lit hallway. I could hear Kim arguing with Kai and gathered that he was dragging her along. She obviously wasn't pleased about that. Kai knocked me through a doorway and to the floor before saying something to Kim and leaving. I tried to get to my feet, but I found that I couldn't free my hands. I let out a groan, and Kim was at my side instantly.

"Jack! Are you okay? I'm so sorry, this is all my fault, and now this, I am so sorry!" She apologized rapidly. I finally had to cut her off to get her to calm down. She helped me sit up and explained that the cold thing around my wrists was a pair of handcuffs. I resisted the urge to curse. 'That puts a damper on my escape plans,' I considered as I realized that I couldn't get them off.

"I don't need my hands. I'll take Kai down without them. He's not going to hurt you, Kim. No one is going to hurt you again. Not on my watch," I told my blonde friend.

"Jack, the last time you fought Kai he tried to kill you! You can't fight him without your hands, or he _will_ kill you! We have to get those handcuffs off of you before we try anything. And if I get hurt, I get hurt. I'm not letting you put yourself between danger and me again, especially when danger's after you more than me. I can take care of myself, Jack. Trust me," she retorted. I rolled my eyes, but I nodded.

"Fine. But I'm going to get these things off, and I'm gonna get you out of here, Kimmy. First things first, though." She looked at me curiously, and I gave her a lopsided grin before standing. "Watch and learn."

I jumped over the handcuffs, putting my hands in front of me. "See? Now I can do this." And with that, I brought my hands over her head in a hug.

"Much better," she replied as she leaned closer. I laughed into her hair as she wrapped her arms around my waist as well. "Ticklish, are we?" she inquired. He hands raced up and down my sides, tickling me mercilessly.

"Kim!" I yelped as she found one of my sensitive spots. Soon I was writhing as her fingers found their way to my armpits. "Ki- Kim, stop! I can't breathe!" I panted with a huge smile on my face.

"Fine. But I win," she commented as she returned to hugging me.

Just then, the wooden door creaked open. Kai strutted through the doorway with a self- satisfied smirk.

"Am I interrupting something?"

OooOooOooOooO

_A.N. Did you like it? I tried to make it at least a little action-y, with some romance thrown in too. What did you think of the mix? Tell me! REVIEW!_


	14. Chapter 14 A Change of Scenery

OooOooOooOooO

_A.N. Sorry about the suuuuper long wait. A new muse struck me, so I rolled with it. I was a bit sad with the viewer response, but I did break a hundred reviews. So I hope you guys liked the chapter, and I hope you like this one._

OooOooOooOooO (Kim POV)

Kai swaggered through the doorway, and Jack froze.

"Am I interrupting something?" He taunted. I blushed as Jack yanked his cuffed hands back over my head and backed away.

"Shut up, Kai," I snapped as I fought back the blush. He sniggered, but he didn't say anything else.

"What do you want, Kai?" Jack snarled as the silence stretched.

"I don't have to answer to you, do I, Jackie poo?" Kai mocked. Then his foot shot out and slammed into Jack's chest. I watched in horror as the brunette fell with a loud thump.

"Jack!" I shrieked as I fell to my knees beside him. He groaned in pain, and I felt fire fill my veins. Kai laughed, and I stood rapidly. My hand swung wide into a slap, but before it could touch the blonde's face, he caught my wrist.

"None of that, now," Kai informed me as he twisted. I bent sideways to lessen the pressure, but it was still extremely painful. Just before I felt that my bones would snap, he released me. I stepped back, rubbing the afflicted area. "And don't do it again," he told me.

"Why are you doing this, Kai? I know that you were mad that Jack beat you, but this is kidnapping; you could go to jail for this! Just let us go before someone gets hurt. Please, Kai. You have no idea what we've been through in the past few days; it's been horrific. That stupid contest is worthless now; what's the point of keeping us here?" I demanded.

"Jack humiliated me! No one beats me; not ever. _I always win_. And I'm winning right now. I don't care what you've been through, I don't care how you ended up here, and I definitely don't care about you. So keep quiet and stay out of my way, and you won't get hurt. Interfere with my plans, and there will dire consequences," Kai threatened.

"Dire consequences? Do you have any idea how much pain I've endured in the past days? There's a reason I didn't cry or anything just now when you tried to break my wrist! I nearly broke my ankle just yesterday, and that's the best of it! Look at this!" I shrieked before turning around. I lifted up my grimy shirt to reveal the brand on my back.

I heard a strange noise coming from behind me, and as I turned around and dropped my shirt, Kai ran from the room. A moment later, I heard the sound of vomiting. I chuckled a little. 'Not so tough, is he?' I thought.

"Wow," Jack commented as he got to his feet. "And to think that I'm related to that guy," he joked.

"Yeah, really," I replied ambiguously. Then I gasped as I realized something dreadfully important. "He left the door open!" I whispered frantically.

Jack's grin grew, and he quickly placed his cuffed hands on my shoulder and pulled me into the hall. Another door was cracked open and leaking light into the dim hallway, and I gathered that it was the bathroom from the sounds of retching that still drifted from it. We hurried past that door and toward the end of the long hallway.

Once we arrived at the front door, Jack muttered, "Let's get out of here." He tried the handle, but it wouldn't turn. I grimaced in fear; Kai would only be so long in the bathroom, and it wouldn't take him long to figure out that we had escaped; we were definitely on a time limit here.

"Move," I commanded quietly, and he obeyed. I felt along the door and quickly found a deadbolt that was locked. I undid it as fast a possible and tried the door once more; it slid open with ease. Unfortunately, it also creaked far too loudly for comfort.

"What was that?" Came Kai's voice. I heard the sound of flushing and then footsteps.

"Run!" I screamed. Jack followed me out the door and down the street, but I didn't slow; I could hear Kai chasing us, and he was bound to catch up.

OooOooOooOooO (Jack POV)

I tried and failed to open the door, but Kim quickly stepped in and took care of it. It swung wide, but the ensuing noise made us both freeze in our tracks. I could here Kai approaching, and Kim voiced what both of us were thinking. "Run!"

We took off down the pavement in the evening air, and I panted with the exertion. Normally I could have run much further, but the kick to my ribs had made it hard enough to breath when I was just standing around. The extra strain on my lungs wasn't doing me any favors. Kai chased us down the street of the town, and I was much less grateful now that it was so nearly empty.

After a few minutes, we came to a large department store, and Kim whipped around to yank me through the doors. A large sign announced that it was closed, and there was no one there, but the door wasn't locked. I was about to ask Kim what she was planning, but she didn't give me the chance. She pulled me towards the stairs, and we jogged up to the third floor. I could hear Kai coming up the stairs as Kim shoved me into a clothing rack and clambered in after me. I opened my mouth once more, but she put a finger to my lips in an easily readable command to be quiet. I nodded, and she released me.

Moments later, I heard Kai enter the area. He was mumbling to himself and throwing things around. As he grew louder in irritation, I felt a smile pull at my lips. My cousin was beginning to swear, but his voice was fading; he was moving away from us, and I couldn't have been gladder for that. Finally, I heard him stomp back down the stairs as he let out a few more choice curses.

Kim and I waited a few minutes before we dared to leave the sanctuary of our rack, but once we did, I let out a whoop of excitement. "We did it!" I said. It would have been louder, but I was still too wary to shout.

Kim threw her arms around my waist and hugged me tightly; I lifted my arms up to pull them over her head once more. This reminded me once again of my bound hands, and I let out a sigh. Kim ducked under my hands to pull away and look me in the face.

"What's wrong?" She inquired worriedly. "Are you hurt?"

"No, it's the handcuffs. I really need to get these things off," I retorted. She nodded in understanding before her face lit up and she loped off without an explanation. I opted to sit in one of the chairs against the wall and wait for her to come back. To pass the time, I found myself looking out the huge windows at the setting sun. The red and gold painting across the sky was beautiful, and it calmed me down.

In fact, I soon found my eyes drifting shut. I tried to stay awake, but my body reminded me of the stresses and lack of sleep I had endured. Kim showed no signs of returning, and the chair was really comfortable; much more so than anything I had slept on in days. Soon enough, I gave in and let my eyes close. I felt sleep claim me, and I relaxed, at least for a time.

OooOooOooOooO

_A.N. And there it is. I apologize again for the wait, and I hope that you liked this chapter. I tried to incorporate Kim's usual fierceness, since she lost a lot of it during the harrowing time in Jonathan's keeping. If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints, including those about the wait, feel free to review or PM me, and I'll try to address them. In any case, I'll attempt to get another update up soon, and I am REALLY SORRY about the gap._


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